A Menu For Loving

by Olivia Gaines

  “I know that look. You must be planning to get you some tonight,” Gloria said as she uncovered the meatballs and stole one. She popped one in her mouth and her eyes rolled up in her head. “That is so good, I almost want to kiss you.”

  Jennifer stood still. Gloria wasn’t very affectionate and it felt weird, but Jennifer grabbed her big sister and placed a sloppy kiss on her cheek.

  Gloria wiped the slobber from her jaw as she sheepishly eyed her little sister. “Are you in love, Jennifer?”

  She shook her head slowly. “If I’m not, whatever this is sure feels pretty darned good. Gloria, he is so amazing.” She grabbed the folder off the counter and opened it, showing her the new menus. “He made these for me without me even asking,” she told her.

  “I love the logo, and these are nice,” Gloria said.

  “So is he. I can’t wait for you and Daddy to meet him tomorrow,” she told her sister as she bounced up and down like a kid about to get some ice cream.

  “Why not bring him by the poetry slam tonight?”

  Just like that, Gloria had sucked all the joy out of her day. That was the last thing she wanted to do, but the look on Gloria’s face said something about their relationship. Each time her sister had invited her to share time in her life, her world, her friends, she had always declined. It had never dawned on her that maybe her sister would take her rejection of her lifestyle as a rejection of her as a person.

  Jennifer acquiesced. “Sure, what is a good time to come by and get in on the center of the finger snaps?

  Gloria’s was stunned. “Seriously? You’re coming?”

  “Sure, why not? It will be fun. Then I get to meet some of your friends and hang out in your world. Will your girl be there?”

  Her jaw dropped. It was the only the second time in their lives that Jennifer had acknowledged she knew Gloria was gay. She watched Jennifer suspiciously, “Yeah. She will be there?”

  “Great! I get to hear her opinion on that new recipe for those wings. I am thinking about serving those in my bistro.” Jennifer looked at her watch. “Ooh, I don’t want to be late for my date!” She hugged Gloria again and shimmied her shoulders before darting off to grab a shower.

  Gloria was still standing in the kitchen. She grabbed the kitchen phone to check the caller ID. No calls from any doctor’s office. No one was dying. Still. It felt weird. But it was a good weird.

  She arrived at Tony’s right at 6:15, wearing a red top, black slacks and a medium heel. Her hair was up since she didn’t have time to style it, and she wore small, hooped earrings with just a touch of gloss on her lips. She felt sexy. The top wasn’t too low, the pants weren’t too tight and she felt good.

  Nervous fingers pushed the doorbell as she waited for him to answer. And when he opened the door, her breath caught. He had a haircut, a shave and looked amazing in a fitted, light blue shirt, navy slacks with a shiny belt buckle and sharp looking navy dress shoes. He looked as good as puffed pastry filled with sweet meats and warm mousse. “Wow! You look amazing,” she told him as she leaned forward to kiss his cheek.

  Tony turned his head so that he could catch her lips instead. “So do you, Jennifer.”

  A large smile on her face, she extended her arm to him, asking if he was ready. Jennifer planned to sweep him off his feet tonight as she escorted him to her car and even opened the door for him. She was about to break every rule she had ever been taught, but tonight she didn’t care. Her first marriage was a whisk off to Vegas and she had little say in how things went as she allowed her husband to make all the decisions in the relationship and it didn’t turn out too well. This time around, she was going to start it out right. Plus, she was going to make her own damn decisions about what she wanted. She wanted this man.

  Tony didn’t know what to say about her opening the door for him or her giving him the armed escort, but it was her date, and he would go along with whatever she had in mind. As long as it was within reason. “I know a great little place to grab a bite to eat before the show,” she said as she slowly backed out of the drive.

  She was right. It was a little place. It was so tight he was afraid to raise his hand because he would knock out the person behind him with his elbow. The restaurant was little, but the prices weren’t. Dinner for the two of them was equaled to his two-week food budget for him and Sasha.

  “Jen, this is really pricey,” he told her.

  “Get whatever you want. I am taking you on the date. Remember?”

  “I know, but this is pretty expensive,” he told her.

  She winked at him. “Yeah, since I’m dropping this kind of money, you may want to think about putting out later this evening. My backseat lets down. Now give mama some sugar with yo fine ass.”

  “Mama?”

  “You know what it does to me when say it like that.” She grinned as she replayed the words he had used on her the first night.

  This opened the conversation between them. He talked about his business, and she spoke of hers. As the meal progressed, she learned a great deal about him and she was quick to share her thoughts as well.

  They talked about personal finance. They talked about children, church, life, personal goals and dreams. She impressed herself by not saying what she thought he wanted to hear, but how she truly felt. He impressed her by being okay with it. She stopped talking and stared at him.

  “What?” he asked.

  “I dunno. I am so awed by you. I don’t know what to say or think,” she said.

  “This is who I am, Jen. I am a very honest man who lives a quiet life. I was in divinity school when I messed up and created Sasha, so I had to change my major. I don’t regret it, because my daughter is amazing,” he told her.

  “You know God forgives, Tony,” she told him.

  “Yes, but parishioners do not. I had no intention of marrying Sasha’s mother and I really wanted nothing to do with the woman,” he said.

  “May I ask what happened?”

  “She wanted me and not the child. She set out to get me and I was not very skilled with women or wise, and she knew it. I was 19 and she was 18. She assumed we would get married and when I told her I had no intention of marrying her, she threatened to do away with my daughter. I would not hear of it, so I continued to see her throughout the pregnancy until she was past the point of termination, then I slowly backed away. When the delivery time came, I asked for the child. She agreed with the stipulation that she would not be a part of Sasha’s life. With the help of my parents and my sister, we got through those first tough years. I managed to finish college and through the church picked up a few graphic jobs. I took some contract work so I could be home with her until she started kindergarten, and the rest is history.”

  Jennifer watched his face. She asked, “It has been lonely for you, hasn’t it?”

  “Yes, it has.”

  Now was her time to put it all out there. She wanted this man in her life. Actually, she wanted him for the rest of her life. “I would like to end your lonely days, Anthony Peay.” She reached in her purse and pulled out an elongated black box and handed it to him.

  “What’s this?”

  He opened it to find a man’s bracelet inside. “This is really nice. You didn’t have to buy me a present, Jen. I don’t know what to say.”

  “Say yes.”

  Tony squinted his eyes as he looked at her. He wasn’t sure what the question was. “Yes, I will accept the bracelet?”

  She laughed. “No. I am asking to share your life. I am asking you to be mine. That is my engagement gift to you?”

  He sat the bracelet down and stared at her. “Jennifer, did you just ask me to marry you?”

  Oh Snap...

  There are times in a man’s life that can be considered moments that are burned in the memory. The birth of Tony’s daughter was at the top of his list. The death of his father was also high on the charts, along with his mother’s recent confession, but this ... Tony’s mind was blown.

  “I mean, not r
ight away, of course, but once we ... you know ... make it formal and date some more ...” Jennifer was stuttering.

  “Get over here with your fine ass,” he said as he literally lifted her out of the chair and deposited her on his lap. Something which was no easy feat considering how tight the space was in the restaurant. “Of course I will marry you.” He kissed her hard on the mouth as he nearly squeezed the life out her.

  She kissed him back, then she pulled back to look in his eyes. “So your answer is yes?”

  “Yes. Yes, a thousand times yes. I will marry you.” Tony P was no one’s fool, but he knew something was up.

  As Jennifer settled the check and they climbed into her car. He stared at her in the dimly lit vehicle. He had to know. “So how bad is your family?”

  “What do you mean?”

  “You proposed to me the day before I am scheduled to meet them. How bad are they?”

  She only grinned as she merged onto I-75 southbound. “Well I love them. Have you told your family about me?”

  “Yes,” he sighed.

  “And?”

  “And what? I’m happy and that is all that matters,” he said to her as he slipped his fingers to interlace with the hand that wasn’t holding the steering wheel. There was a but coming and she could feel it.

  Jennifer wanted to know, “What is it?”

  He didn’t really know how to broach the subject but it needed to be addressed before anything went any further. “We will have to undergo six months of marriage counseling before we say the I do's. My church requires it. I hope you are okay with that?”

  “I can handle that. My church requires something similar,” she told him but there was something else he wasn’t saying.

  “Spill it, Tony P,” she said as she pulled her hand away to signal and place both hands on the wheel.

  “There is an abstinence period before the wedding as well,” he said. That didn’t bother Jennifer. Until Tony she had been abstinent for nearly 18 months.

  “I can handle that as well, but can you?”

  “Hell no. I want to pull over right now and make love to you,” he said as he burst into laughter. “That scent of lavender and lemongrass that you are wearing is making me feel like some sort of rutting bull.” It reminded him of the lemongrass he had thrown onto his sheets when he made love to her. He started to snort and shake his head.

  She pulled into the parking lot of Gloria’s building and Jennifer parked the car. Tony was no longer smiling as he eyed the brick structure and all the hipsters walking into it. Trust. Trust the journey. He slipped his hand into hers as they made their way to the door and Jennifer handed the attendant a twenty.

  Inside the building, the room was dark. Candles were burning and everything smelled like patchouli and coconut oil. Tony was frowning as he looked at her. She had taken him to one of those poetry things where people yelled out angry words and others snapped their fingers like drunken hippies at a love fest. He was shaking his head no and walking towards the door, but was stopped by a very angry looking black woman with an Afro. She was an unusual looking woman with large, wide set eyes, an upturned pug nose and a little tight mouth that housed a really big set of oversized teeth.

  The woman looked at Jennifer. “Is this him?” Her face held a scowl.

  “Yes, this is Tony Peay. Tony this is my sister, Gloria,” Jennifer said. It was a horrible moment as Tony’s eyes went from Jennifer back to her sister. From her sister back to Jennifer. A look of confusion covering his expression.

  Gloria asked, “What does the P stand for?”

  He crinkled his nose. “My last name. My last name is Peay.”

  Gloria was now confused. “Pee, as in pee-pee?”

  “No as in Peay. Peay. Like Austin Peay,” Tony’s face was contorted.

  “Who or what is Austin Peay?” Gloria asked.

  “The college,” he said.

  “You went to Austin Peay?”

  “No! My last name is Peay. P-e-a-y? People just call me Tony P.”

  Gloria frowned at him, giving him a whatever look. “I saved you guys a table up front. And hey, your wings and meatballs were a big hit!”

  They followed Gloria to their seats as they were seated next to a rather large busted woman who introduced herself as Katie Mae. Her long dreadlocks hung down between her massive breasts and Tony did his best to look everywhere but at the woman. Or those massive mammaries. His attempts failed after Gloria bent down to kiss her while juggling one of the oversized boobies.

  “Dear Jesus,” Tony said as he focused his stare at the stage.

  Katie Mae jiggled the jugs at Gloria as she took to the dais to introduce the next poet. A little, runty, hostile woman who called herself Blood. She also had props that spewed red liquid as she yelled into the mic about the blood spilled by the white man. She kept looking at Tony.

  Tony kept looking at Jennifer, who was staring at Katie Mae who was still fondling her boobies and looking at Gloria. Blood finished her piece by pretending to sever her carotid, which spewed more red liquid onto plastic covering on the stage. The whole thing was a mess. It took everything in Jennifer not to lose it when Tony leaned over and whispered in her ear, “I don’t know who is angrier, Blood or your sister. They both are scary as hell. And I ain’t no punk, but I am scared. Can we leave?”

  Jennifer patted his thigh as she shook her head no. Tony poked out his bottom lip as he watched a young man with a chicken wing hanging out of his mouth run a mop across the stage. Gloria was back on the podium saying something about her sister the chef who provided the food. The dude on the stage waved the chicken wing at Jennifer and said thanks. The next act was up. Tony was still looking confused. He wanted to let Jennifer know that he didn’t get out much and this was, well, too much. He watched the next act climb on stage.

  This poetess was yelling, too.

  So was the next one.

  And the next.

  They were all so angry.

  The final act was a young man named Sleepy Jonz, and he came to the stage with a guitar. His words were melodic as he spoke from his soul about what it means to be a black man in America. Tony was enthralled. He leaned forward as he physically felt the power of the young man’s words and was shocked when he felt the emotion welling up inside of himself. He related much of it to Raheem and some of the things he underwent. He thought about his brother Tino, and wondered if he had experienced any of this as well. Sleepy began to sing a chorus and then came back to his words. When he finished, Tony was astounded.

  Gloria noticed and walked over and placed her arm around his shoulder. “Pretty powerful stuff, huh?”

  “Yeah, it was. His lyrics touched me,” he told her.

  It was then that Gloria Taylor did something very people ever had witnessed – she smiled at Tony. “You are alright, Tony P. Are you by chance related to the Rev. Isaiah Peay?”

  His eyebrows shot up. “Yes, he was my father.”

  “He was a good man, Tony. I had a chance to work with him on a few projects through my nonprofit for battered women. His church was our meeting place before we bought this building.”

  For the umpteenth time that evening, Tony was surprised. “You provide counseling for women?”

  “I am an administrator, but I have contracted certified counselors who work with our clients,” she told him over the roar of the crowd that was breaking up and people were vying for her attention. Gloria was very popular. People were calling her name, thanking her for a great evening. Several people thanked Jennifer for the food and asked for her business cards. This was the first time that Jennifer had seen her big sister in her element. She felt proud of Gloria as she watched her talk to Tony.

  “I have a special case that I would like to discuss with you.” He was a grateful now that he had come.

  “Let’s talk some more tomorrow after dinner,” she said as she patted his arm and walked away. She told Jennifer she would see her tomorrow and thanked them both for coming. Who would ha
ve thought? Tony turned to look for Jennifer who appeared to be suffocating in Katie Mae’s bosom as the woman held her too close for nearly too long.

  Tony rescued her and pulled her out the door. The drive back to his house was quiet as he was still processing the idea that out of chance, Jennifer’s sister would be the link to getting his mother some much needed help. He was grateful. Although he had prayed about it, he had not expected an answer so soon.

  Tony stared at his lovely Jennifer. He had prayed for someone to share his life as well. The whole thing was surreal and he was completely dumfounded by his fortune. I will take it all.

  It was sweet of Jennifer to walk him to the door. “I will text you my address tomorrow. We will look for you and Sasha around four. Dinner is at 5:30.”

  He didn’t hear a word she said. He was too busy staring at her mouth. Then he started to shake his head before she even asked the question.

  “Tony, do you want me to come in?”

  He was still shaking his head no. “If you come in, then some part of your body is going to end up in my mouth.”

  Jennifer stepped closer to him. “... Or, if I come in, some part of your body may end up in mine.”

  Tony began to fumble with his keys, trying to get the door opened, but as he reached for the lock, the door was opened by Sasha. “Hey, Daddy! Hey, Chef Jennifer!”

  The disappointment that covered Tony’s face was almost audible as he hugged his daughter. “I thought you were staying at Aunt Cleo’s tonight?”

  “Nope, she said I should be home when you got here. I also wanted to come home and surprise you. Are you surprised, Daddy?”

  “Am I ever ...” he told her with a forced grin. Jennifer shielded her laughter.

  “Plus, I wanted to see Chef Jennifer to ask what I should wear tomorrow,” she said with a huge grin.

  “Whatever you choose will be fine, Sasha,” Jennifer said as she hugged the girl, giving her a kiss on her forehead and light one to Tony’s lips. Then she left the porch, telling them both she would see them tomorrow.